Method and apparatus for forming cartons



OEDER EI'AL ORMING C Feb. 27, 1962 Fe 7, 1.962 A. C. SCHROEDER EI'AL 3,022,6l5

Feb. 27, 1962 A. C. SCHROEDER ETAL & 5

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CARTONS Filed Aug. 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 27, 196 A. C. SCHROEDER ETAL 3,0222615 METHOD AND APPARTUS FOR FORMING CARTONS Filed Aug. 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 \O O -g g G tn N :'n l T H Q l g N :u T n m 2 I INVENTORS BY 9. M

Attome 'United States Patent 3,022,615 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CARTONS Arthur C. Schroeder, Skaneateles, and Richard F.

Schneider, North Syracuse, N.Y., assignors to Schmeder Machines Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 834,110 14 Ciaims. (Cl. 53-37) This invention relates to and has as an object a method and apparatus for ferming or proportoning formed cartons to receive articles or packages of variable lengths.

There is disclosed in prior Patent No. 2,831,300, issued April 22, 1958, a machine for automatically selecting one flat collapsed carton at a time from a stack, advancing the selected carton, expanding the same as it approaches a filling station, inserting a group of articles Or packages into the expanded carton, closing the end flaps of the carton and sealng them in closed condition.

The machine of that patent functions with Cartons of predetermined size for packaging articles of uniform dimension. In certain Operations, the packages or products being packaged in the cartons are of varying lengths. This presents a major problem in that if the Shipping cartons are formed and packaged to receive the packages or articles of maximum dimension, the ackaging of smaller sizes of articles results in the articles being loosely packed and that is Cletrimental in the shpment of many kinds of articles. otherwise, the packer has to stock Cartons of different sizes and the automatic carton handling and packaging machine has to be readjusted in changing from one size carton to another.

I'his invention is directed to apparatus to be used in conjunction with the carton handling machines as of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,83L300, which apparatus functions automatically to sense the size of the products being packaged and automatically varies the length of the shipping carton so that it is comparable to the size of the products whereby the products are properly packaged.

More specifically, the invention has as an object to provide a method and apparatus for automatically custom scoring partially pre-formed Shipping cartons to form and provide a finished Shipping carton having a depth corresponding to the dimension of the products to -be loaded and packaged in the carton.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for completely severing the unsevered corner portions of a partially pre-formed shipping carton subsequent to the scoring of the carton whereby to completely form second end flaps on a partially pre-formed Shipping carton having first end flaps only.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and clairned.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings FIGURES 1 to 6, inclusve, are a series of perspectve views in the nature of a flow sheet illustrating the various steps and Operations of the method and apparatus for Carrying out the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a view taken looking in the direction of the arrows of line 7-7 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a collapsed partially pre-formed Shipping carton with parts broken away shown advancing in the direction of the arrow.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of an expanded carton of the type shown in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view of a Simplified ice air pressure actuating system for 'the apparatus embodying the invention.

As set forth in Patent No. 2,831,300 above-referred to, Shipping cartons, generally indicated at 10, 'are positioned in a hopper or magazine supply and 'the collapsed cartons are selected and advanced, one at a time, 'from the bottom of the magazine, expanded, filled with product, and the end flaps sealed in order to form a finished, packed and' sealed carton.

In the drawings, the cartons 10 are positioned in the hopper of the machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,831,300. The cartons, however, are only partially pre-formed as best seen in FIGURE 8. In that figure, the partially pre-formed Cartons cor'npris'e a pair of side walls 12 and 14 having similar opposite side walls. One end of the carton is completely formed with first end flaps 16, 18, 20, and 22, the corner portions of the carton between the end flaps being severed, as at 24, to form the end flaps along with the score line 26 extending transv'ersel of the carton 10.

The opposite end of the carton 10 has severed corner portions 28, 30, 32 and 34 (see FIGURE 9) severed to depth so as to form a carton adapted to receive packages having a predetermined maximum length. No score line is formed in the carton adjacent the severed corners whereby partially formed end fia'ps 36, 38, 40 and 42 are formed by the severed corners 28 through 34, inclusive. By apparatus to be hereinafter described a second score line may be formed on the carton adjacent the end flaps 36 through 42 at a position whereby the distance between the score line 26 and the second score line will correspond to the product dimension which is to be loaded into the carton 10 whereby products having different and variable length dimensions less than the predetermined maximum length may be loaded into the cartons 19.

For ease of description throughout the Specification and appended clairns, the second score line to be formed on the carton adjacent the end flaps 36 through 42 will be hereinafter referred to as a crease line and it is to be understood that this crease line is actually a score line similar to the score line 26.

In FIGURE 1, a product conveyor comprising an endless beit 46 is entrained over an idler roll 48 and moves in the direction of the arrow Whereby to continuously advance products, such as the packages 50, On' to a support plate 52 and into engagernent with a fixed stop plate 54.

The carton dmension indicated at D in FIGURE. 1 is a variable dimension whereby the cartons 10 must 'be formed with a custom score line in order to give carton side walls 12 and 14 a depth corresponding to the carton dimension D.

In FIGURE 2, the plurality of packages 50, shown in this case to be 5 in number, have advanced across the supporting plate 52 and into engagement with the stop plate' 54. As the packages engage the'plate 54, suitable apparatus (not shown) serves to actuate the cylinder 56 to advance the piston rod of the cylinder fo'rwardly or to the left as viewed in FIGURE 2. The forward end of the cylinder rod 58 of cylinder 56 has a pusher plate 60 afiixed thereto, see FIGURE 3, and a side stop plate 62 extends rearwardly from the pusher plate 60 in a parallel relation to the rod 58.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the pusher plate 60 serves to advance the packages across the supporting plate 52 transversely of the direction of movement of the conveyor 46. At the same time the side stop plate 62 serves to limit' and stop the packages 50 on the conveyor 46 from being fed on to the plate 52.

pusher plate 60 across the supporting plate 52 and into engagement with a fixed stop plate 6 6. During this advancement of the packages 50 into engagement with the plate 66, the carton length D is'sensed and a pair of custom scoring rolls 68 and 70 are positioned in front of the Shipping carton magazine at a point to score the bottom-most package advanced from the magazine so as to form a carton having a depth equal to the carton length D by apparatus to be next described Referring to FIGURE 7, it will be seen that the cylinde 56 is supported by a pair of angle plates 74 on top of a pair of cross pieces 76 supported by upstanding legs 78. The pusher plate 60 is formed with a rearwardly extending arm 80 carried on the lower edge of the plate 60. The rearwardmost portion of the arm 80 is formed with a depending actuating finger 82 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The scoring .wheels 68 and 70 are fixedly mounted on a pair of shafts 86 and 88 journaled in and extending through a pair of bearings 90 and 92 carried by a side plate 94. The outer ends of the shafts 86 and 88 have a pair of gears 96 and 98 mounted thereon by means of integral collars 100 and 102 formed on the gears 96 and 98 respectively. The gears 96 and 98 are in mesh with each other and a third driving gear 104 connected by means of an endless chain 106 to a motor, or the like, not shown. It is understood that the score Wheels 68 and 70 may also be driven by frictional engagement with the carton D. The outer ends of the shafts 86 and 88 are connected to a bracket 110 mounted on the ends of the shafts by means of two pairs of collars 112 and 114. An angle member 116 is aflixed to the bracket 110 interinediate the ends thereof and is in turn fixedly connected to a rearwardly extending adjustment bar 120. The bar' 120 extends through a pair of bearings or guides 122 'and 124 and is connected at its rearward end by means of a tension spring 128 to the leg 78.

Adjacent the rearward end of the rod 120 is an upstanding pusher pad 130 positioned in the path of movement of the depending actuating finger 82 whereby, When the pusher plate 60 moves forwardly or to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 7, the finger 82 will engage the ups'tanding pad 130 prior to the point of engagement between the packages 50 and the fixed stop plate 66 whereby to move the scoring Wheels 68 and 70 to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 7, to form a crease line on the carton 10 at a point Where the carton depth will correspond to the carton length D. In Order to fix the Wheels 68 and 70 to the position thus determined by the carton length suitable means (not shown) are actuated upon the engagement of the packages with the stop plate'66 to actuate a looking brake,

'generally indicated at 134, to lock the rod 120 and con- 'sequently scoring Wheels 68 and 70 against rearward movement under the influence of spring 128. The brake 134 may take any form, as for example, a pair of scissorslike arms .136 pivotally mounted intermediate their ends at. 138 and having a pair of brake shoes 140 afiixed to their outer ends.

* The means for actuating the scissors arms and shoes 140 may comprise a fluid cylinder 142 suitably connected in' the control circuit of the apparatus.

As ,will be obvious from the apparatus just described, the gears 96 and 98 may slide a little to the left or right on driving gear 104, as ,viewed in FIGURE 7, in order to adjustably position the score Wheels 68 and 70 to form a carton having a product depth corresponding to the product length D.

After positioning the score Wheels 68 and 70 in the crease line 146, a transfer cylinder 148 is actuated to move the packages 50 forwardly in a parallel direction to the movement of the carton 10 through the score Wheels 68 and 70, see FIGURE 3. Simultaneously the rod 58 retracts and brake 134 is released to return the score Wheels and pusher plate 60, as well as stop plate 62, all to their original position for the next group of packages 50. The first group of packages 50 are advanced across the plate 52 by means of a transfer plate 150 supported on the forward end of the rod 152 of cylinder 148. The transfer plate 150 moves the packages .50 across the plate 52 and into engagement with a fixed stop plate 154. Simultaneously therewith, by apparatus described in Patent No. 2,83l,300, carton 10 is expanded to the position shown in FIGURE 4, with end flaps 16 through 22 and 36 through 42 opened to receive the packages 50.

Upon engagement of the packages 50 with the'plate 154, the cylinder 158 is actuated by suitable means (not shown) to move the piston rod 160 and pusher plate 162 mounted thereon forwardly or to the left, as viewed in FIGURES 4 and 5, to load the predetermined number of packages 50 into the partially formed Shipping carton 10. By the method and apparatus previously described, score line 26 and crease line 146 On the carton 10 are positioned to give a carton depth corresponding to the length D of the packages 50.

Upon completion of the loading stroke of cylinder 158, rod 160 and plate 162, by apparatus to be next described,

the unsevered corner portions of the carton 10, adjacent the score line 146 are severed to finish forming the end flaps 36 through 42.

As best seen in FIGURE 6, an actuating bar 172 is mounted for reciprocation in a sleeve 173 fixedly mounted on the plate 242 which is in turn mounted on the Oscillating rod 176 of ,the end flap closing apparatus as described and shown in Patent 2,83L300. The bar 172 is presented by the end flap closing apparatus to the end of the open carton 10 and is formed at its forward end with a foot 177 positioned so as to be engaged by the packages 50 as they approach the score line 26 and end flaps 18 and 22 of the open expanded carton 10. The bar 172 is formed at its rearward end with a pad portion 178 positioned to actuate a valve 179 connected by the line 180 by means to be hereinafter described in connection with FIGURE 10 to a plurality, shown in this illustration to be 4, cylinders 182, 184, 186 and 188, carried at the corners of the rearward side of the plate 162. The actuating bar 172 is normally urged by suitable means (not shown) contained within the sleeve 173 to' a forward position out of engagement With the valve 1 79 and serves to actuate the valve 179 only When the packa'ges inserted in the carton 10 engage the foot 177.

,The cylinders 182 through 188 are of the single acting type and each has a corner slitting knife blade 192 mounted on the outer end of the rods of the cylinders, whereby, when the cylinders 182 through 188 are actuated, the knife blades 192-wi1l move diagonally outwardly from the center portion of the plate 162 to pierce the corner portions of the carton 10, adjacent the crease line 146, to sever any unsevered corner portions of the carton adjacent the crease line 146, thereby completely ferming the end flaps 36 through 42.

Thereafter, the first end fiaps 16, through 22, and second end flaps 36, through 42, now completely formed, are closed and sealed by the apparatus disclosed in Patent No. 2,83l,300 and the thus packed and sealed carton 10 moves in the direction of the arrow, as seen in FIGURE 6, on an endless belt conveyor 199 to a loading station.

Referring again to FIGURE 7, it will be seen that by the apparatus and method of my invention,shipping cartons 10 may be formed having a product depth between the score line 26 and crease line 146 to correspond to packages or products having a dimension Varying between the dirnension S, indicated on FIGURE 7 as a minimum length and the dimension indicatedby L on FIGURE 7 as a maximum dir'nensio'n. In this manner it will be obvious that packages or products having variable dimensions D between a predetermined minimum and maximum may be loaded and packed in a secure, tight fashion in uniform size Shipping cartons partially preformed to take packages of the predetermined maximum length. This is a highly advantageous feature in connection with packages continuously fed to the machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,83l,300.

As best seen in FIGURES 8 and 9, the movable score Wheels 68 and 70 are positioned, as previously described, in the path of movement of the bottom-most collapsed carton so as to form the crease line 146 adjacent the end closure flaps 36 through 40, whereby the distance between the crease line 146 and the score line 26 corresponds to the length of the articles or packages to be loaded into the carton 10. The unsevered corner portions of the expanded loaded carton interrnediate the crease line 146 and the severed corner portions 28, 30, 32 and 34 are then severedby the knife apparatus previously described to completely form the enclosure fiaps whereby the articles will be tightly packed in the carton 10 upon closing and sealing of the end closure flaps 16 through 22 and 36 through 42.

The air pressure circut'for Operating the apparatus will now be described. As best seen in FIGURE 10, the circuit is supplied with air pressure from the main pressure line 200 which supplies the machine shown and disclosed in Patent 2,831,300 with air pressure. The pressure system of this invention includes three 4-way pilot operated valves of the conventional type indicated at 202, 204 and 206. These valves are mechanically actuated by the packages 50 and serve to control the action of the feeding and transfer cylinders 56, 148 and 158 in the following manner. A

The actuator 201 of the valve 202 is mounted in an aperture or notch formed in the plate 54, shown in dotted lines, and the Valve 202 normally connects air pressure through the line 210 to the line 212 which is connected to the forward end of cylinder 56, thus serving to retain the plate 60, carried by the rod cylinder 56, in its rearward-most position. Upon engagement with forwardmost package 50 with the actuator 201 of the valve 202, air pressure from line 210- is connected through the-valve to line 214. Line 214 enters a normaily closed valve 216 having an actuator 217 positioned to be engaged by the plate 150 carried by the rod of the cylinder 148 when the plate 150 is in its rearwardmost position. In this position, the valve 216 is opened and serves to connect the line 214 to the line 218. Line 218 enters a normally open valve 220 thus connecting thevline 218 to line 222 which enters the rear of cylinder 56 thus serving to move the piston rod. of the cylinder 56 and plate 60 forwardly thus transferring the packages toward the stop plate 66.

If the plate 150 of the transfer cylinder 143 -is not in engagement with the actuator 217 of valve 216, the pressure supply to the rear of the cylinder 56 s interrupted and consequently no packages can be transferredhy the cylinder 56 until the plate 150 of the cylinder 148 is in its rearwardmost position. In addition, if there are already packages in engagement with plate 66, the valve 220 will be closed thus interrupting the pressure supply to the rear of the cylinder 56 and preventing transfer of the packages 50 toward the plate 66, thereby eliminating any danger of jamming the apparatus. V alve 220 is connected by means of a line 224 to a valve 226 having its actuator 227 positioned in a notch formed in the plate 66, shown in hidden lines in FIGURE 10. The Valve 226 is also connected by means of the line 228 to the line 218 whereby when the valve 216 is open pressure Will be fed from the main line 200 through line 210, valve 202, line 214, valve 216 and line 228 into .valve 226. If a package, or packages, are in engagementwith the plate 66, valve 226 is opened feedng pressure through the line 224 into the valve 220 closing this valve and interrupting the pressure supply to the rear of the cylinder 56 through lines 218 and 222 for the reason set forth above.

If, however, the plate of the cylinder 148 is in its rearwardmost position and the actuator 217 is engaged to open valve 216 and no packages are in engagement with the plate 66 so that the valve 226 is closed the actuation of the vaive 202 will serve to supply pressure to the rearward end of the cylinder 55 as previousiy described. This Causes the packages 50 to be transferred toward and into engagement With the plate 66. This Causes the actuator 203 of valve 204 located in an aperture formed in the plate 66 to be engaged by the packages 50. The

valve 204 is of the 4-way pilot operated type, as previously set forth, and this actuation'of the Valve 204 connects air pressure from the line 230 connected to the main pressure line 200 through the valve 204 to a line 232 which enters valve 202 and Causes this valve to be reset to connect pressure to the forward end of the cylinder 56 through the lines 210 and 212 to return the plate 60 to its rearwardmost position.

Air pressure is also fed from the line 232 through the line 234- into a normally closed interlock valve 236. The interlock Valve 236 is provided With an actuator 237 positioned to be engaged by the plate 162 of the cylinder 158 when the plate 162 is in its rearwardmost position. When the valve is thus actuated it serves to connect the line 234 to the line 238 which enters a normally closed Valve 240. Valve 240 is positioned in the path of rnovement of the cartons from the carton 'supply magazine and when a carton is expanded, as shown in dotted lines 10, the valve 240 will be 'opened by the expanded Carton to connect the line 238 to the line 241 Which enters the rear end of the cylinder 148 thus causing the packages in engagement with the plate 66 to be transferred by the plate 150 of cylinder 148 toward the plate 154. As Will be obvious if no expanded carton 10 is in position, the valve 240 will remain closed thus preventing transfer of the packages 50 by the cylinder 148.

Upon transfer of 'the packages 50 by the cylinder 148 into engagement with the plate 154 the actuator 205 of the' pilot operated 4-Way valve 206 which is positioned in a notch formed in the plate 154 is engaged and served to connect air pressure from the main line 200 through lines 243 and 244 'to valve 204 and serves to reset the valve 204 thus connecting pressure from line 230 through the'valve 204 and line 246 to the forward end of cylnder 148 thus returning the plate 150 to its rearwardmost position. Air pressure is taken off of line 244 by line 243 and enters valve 250. Valve 250 has an actuator 251 positioned in a third aperture orinotch formed in the plate 66 and is 'a normally closed valve and serves when 'engaged by packages to connect the line 248 to a line 252 Which enters a valve 254. Valve 254 is a normally closed valve and is positioned to be actuated by the bottom-most collaps'ed 'carton 10218 it is selected from the'carton supply magazine by the machine disclosed in Patent No. 2831500 Whereby actuation of the valve 254 by the bottom-most Carton 10 connects the line 252 through 'the valve 254 to line 256 which enters the rear of the cylinder 158 The valve 254 functons as a safety Valve and will prevent operation of the loading cylinder 158 by reason of interrupting the pressure supply from line 252 when no collapsed carton has actuated the valve 254. This serves to insure proper functioning of the apparatus of this invention in' -relation to the apparatus disclosed in Patent No. 2831300, that is, if no collapsed carton has actuated the valve 254'the apparatus of this inventionwill be prevented from Operating to load the packages 50 in the expanded carton 10, thus indicating that the cartons in the magazine supply have been exhausted.

When pressure is fed into the rear end of the cylinder 158 from line 256, the plate 162 mounted 'on the rod of cylinder 158 serves to transfer the packages 50 toward and into the open expanded carton 10 as was seen in FIG- 7 URE 5. When the packages have been fully inserted in'thecarton 10, foot 177 on actuator 172 will be engaged thus causing Valve 179 which is a normally closed valve to be open. The opening of Valve 179 connects pressure from the main line 200 through lines 180 and 190 into a knife Operating master valve diagrammatically indicated at 260. The knife Operating master Valve 260 serves to momentarily supply the knife cylinders 182 through 188 with pressure tomove the knife blades 192 outwardly through the unsevered corner portions of the carton 10 adjacent the crease line 146 thus completely forming the enclosure flaps 36 through 42, as previously described. The cylinders 132 through 188 are of the single acting spring return type and upon exhaustion of the after, the introduction of pressure through line 266 into the Valve 206 serves to reset the valve 206 whereby pressure is connected from the line 243 to the line 268 which enters the forward end of the cylinder 158 thus returning the plate 162 mounted on the rod of cylinder 158 to its rearward normal position, thereby actuating valve 236 whereby the system is in condition for the next cycle.

The air system described in FIGURE 10 is a Simplified system for Operating the apparatus disclosed and it is to be understood that exhaust valves which have not been shown are located in the system wherever necessary to insure suitahle operation of the system. Additionally, the system may be modified within the scope of the invention to add additional control and/or safety features to the apparatus without the exercise of invention.

What we claim is:

1. A method of tightly packing articles in Shipping cartons comprising the steps of; conveying a predetermined number of articles in one direction to a stop. feeding said predetermined number of articles in a direction transverse to said first direction feed, sensing the length of said articles, moving carton scoring rolls in response to said sensing to a position to correspond to the sensed length of said articles, feeding a carton having completely formed first end flaps through said scoring rolls to form a carton v with partially formed second end flaps and having a body length equal to the length of said articles, simultaneouslv -moving said predetermined number of articles parallel to said cartons, opening: said second end flaps of said carton, inserting said articles into said carton, severing the corners of said cartons adjacent the second end flaps,

and closing and sealing the loaded container-s.

r 2. A method of loadng preforrned collapsed Shipping cartons having completely formed end flaps at one end of the body of the carton With articles of variable lengths comprising the steps of: scoring the' opposite end Dortion of the carton at a point spaced from said end ofthe body corresponding to the article length. Opening the scored carton, feeding an article into said open carton, severing the corners of said carton at said opposite end to form second foldable end flaps, and folding and Sealing the end flaps at both ends of the filled carton.

,packed in said cartons, 'positioning end flap scoring rolls in the path of movement of the unscored 'end of said cartons in response ,to said sensed length, feeding said cartons, one at a time, through-said scoring rolls to partially form second end flaps on the opposite .end of said carton whereby the'carton body length corresponds to the sensed length of the packages to be packed in said carton, opening said carton, loadng a predetermined numer of said packages in said carton, severing the corner portions of said carton from the newly 'formed score line outwardly to completely form end flaps at the opposite end of the carton, and closing and sealing said flaps to tightly pack said packages in said carton.

4. A method of packing articles of varying lengths in preformed Shipping cartons comprising the steps of: conveying a predetermined number of articles to a first transfer station, transferriu g said articles toward a maga- Zine supply of collapsed cartons, the opposite end corner portions of said carton being severed to a depth to receive articles in said cartons of a predetermined maximum length, one end of said carton having a first score line transverse to said severed corners to form first end flaps, sensing the length of said articles during said transfer, positioning scoring rolls in response to said sensing so as to score the opposite end of said carton so as to form a carton having a depth corresponding to the sensed length of said articles, feeding a carton through said positioned scoring rolls to form a crease line, opening said carton, loadng said predetermined number of articles into said opened carton, severing the unsevered corner portions of said carton adjacent said crease line to form second end flaps, and folding and sealing said first and second end flaps to tightly pack said articles in said carton.

5. Apparatus for packing packages of varying lengths in Shipping cartons formedat one end With first foldable end flaps and having the corner portions at their opposite ends severed to depth to form cartons to receive packages of a predetermined maximum length, comprising a maga- Zine having a supply of collapsed cartons, means for conveying said packages to a transfer station adjacent said magazine, transfer means for trausferring a predetermined number of said packages to a stop positioned adjacent said magazine, scoring rolls positioned in the path of movement of said cartons from said magazine, means interconnecting said transfer means and said scoring rolls for positioning said rolls so as to score said collapsed carton to form a carton depth corresponding to the length of said packages, and means for severing the unsevered corner portions of said carton adjacent said score line subsequent to the loadng of said packages in said carton whereby to form second end flaps. L

6. Apparatus for formingsecond end flaps on Shipping cartons formed With first end flaps at one end of said cartons and severed 'corner portions at the opposite end,

wherein said severed corner portions are severed to a 'depth to form cartons for receiving articles of predetermined maximum length, comprising scoring rollspositioned ln the path of movement of said cartons, transfer means for feeding a predetermined number of articles 'toward a magazine supply'of said cartons, means inter- :connectlng said scoring rolls and Said transfer means to position said ,scoring rollsxto form a score line on said cartons at a position on said carton where said carton at oneend of said carton to form first end flaps comprising a carton magazine having a supply of collapsed cartons, movable scoring rolls positioned in thepath of movement of the collapsed cartons from said carton magazine to a loadng station, package transfer means,

including package sensing means, for feedng a predetermined number of packages toward said loading station, means for moving said scoring rolls so as to form a crease line on said collapsed cartons, said last mentioned means being interconnected with said package transfer means Whereby the length of the packages is sensed and the movable scoring rolls positioned to form said Crease line on said collapsed cartons so as to form the carton body of a depth corresponding to the length of said packages and means operable snbsequent to the loading of a predetermined number of packages in an expanded carton for severing any nnsevered corner portions of said carton adjacent said crease line.

8. The method of packaging articles in a carton, the invention consisting of the steps of providing a flat collapsed carton scored at one end to provide end closnre flaps for said end, advancing said collapsed carton to a carton expanding and loading station, advancing articles to said loading station for insertion in said carton and, While advancing an article, simultaneously determining the length thereof and, While advancing said carton and in response to the determined length of the article, scoring the opposite end of said carton at a distance from said first scoring comparable to the length of the articles to provide end closnre flaps for the second end of the carton.

9. The method of Packaging articles in a carton, the invention consisting of the steps of successively advancing fint preformed collapsed cartons scored at like ends to provide end closnre fiaps for said ends to a carton expanding and loading station, simultaneonsly advancing articles to said loading station for insertion in said cartons and, While advancing an article, determining the length thereof and, While advancing said cartons and in response to the determined length of the article, scoring the opposite ends thereof at a distance from said first scoring comparable to the length of the articles for providing end closnre flaps for the opposite ends of the cartons.

10. Apparatns for advancing a collapsed carton from a supply to a loading station and expanding said collapsed carton at said station for the reception of articles to be packed therein, said cartons being scored at one end portion to provide foldable end closnre flaps for closing that end of the carton, comprising mechanism for advancing articles to said loading station for insertion into the expanded carton, sensing means for determining the length of said articles, carton scoring members operable to score the opposite end portion of said carton to provide foldable end closnre flaps for said end, said scoring members being shiftable lengthwise of the carton, means operable by said sensing means to position said scoring members a distance from the score lines at the first end of the carton complemental to the length of said articles and means for loading said articles into the carton.

11. Claim 10, Wherein said last-mentioned means includes means for severing any nnsevered corner portions of said carton upon completion of insertion of said articles into said carton.

12. The method of tightly packing articles of varying lengths in Shipping cartons comprising the steps of advancing articles to a loading station, advancing collapsed cartons having end flaps formed at one end to said station, sensing the length of an article advanced to said station, ferming a score line in the opposite end portion of said carton, while advancing the same to said station, to define end fiaps at said opposite end of the carton spaced from said first end flaps to provide a carton having a length comparable to the length of thesensed article, expanding the carton at said station, inserting the article in the expanded carton, severing the corners of the carton at said opposite end, and closing and sealing the fiaps at both ends of the carton.

13. Apparatns for packaging articles of varying lengths in Shipping cartons, a magazine containing a supply of flat collapsed cartons formed at one end With foldable enclosnre flaps, carton advancing means operable to advance cartons from said magazine to a loading station, article advancing means operable to advance an article to said loading station, means for sensing the length of said articles, scoring members mounted intermediate said magazine and said station and being operable to score the opposite end portion of the carton to provide closnre flaps at said opposite end, and means operable in response to said sensing means to position said scoring members in spaced relation from the first end of the carton a distance comparable to the length of the package at said loading station.

14. Apparatns for packaging articles of varying lengths in Shipping cartons comprising means for advancing a collapsed Shipping carton to an expanding station, means for expanding the collapsed carton, means for advancing an article to said'station, loading means for inserting said article into said expanded carton, said loading means including a pnsher plate having carton severing means located at its corners, and means operable upon completion of insertion of said article into said expanded carton to move said carton severing means diagonally outwardly whereby, upon WithdraWal of said plate from said expanded carton, said carton severing means severs the corners of the carton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS Re.20,789 Bergstein July 12, 1938 1,485,004 Wright et al. Feb. 26, 1924 1,962,638 CZerWeny June 12, 1934 1,977,8l2 Swift Oct. 23, 1934 2,345,411 Moeller Mar. 28, 1944 2,464,099 Ross Mar. 8, 1949 2,747,35O Cargill et al. May 29, 1956 2,831,300 Schroeder Apr. 22, 1958, 

